The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-02-16

and ink, for the Mohammedans believe
that type and printing are the work of
devils. This book is valued at about
800. The Koran is read from back to
front, and the pages from right to left,
instead of from left to right, as in En-
glish books. Every faithful Moham-
medan carries with him two-edged
sword about two feet in length, but it
is now never used, as it was originally
used by Mohammet himself, in con-
quering other people to the Mohamme-
dan religion. Every Mohammedan is
obliged to say his prayers five times
each day-at six o'clock, at nine
O'Clock in the morning, at noon, and at
three O'Clock and six o'clock in the
afternoon. The minister, or priest, has
to go into the tower of the mosque at
these times and call the people to
prayers. The people believe the earth
to have four corners, and the priest
turns to the north, east, south and
west, and calls in as loud voice as
possible for the people to come to
prayer, and all the people leave at once
whatever they may be doing and 90 to
the mosque for prayer. 1t will be seen
important part in this calling to pray
ers, and his salary is regulated accord
ing to his voice. If he has a loud
voice, and can be heard at great dis
lance, he receives large salary, but if
his voice is weak he must be content
with small salary and country town.
1t is said that some of these priests
have voices that can be heard mile
away. Inside the mosque there are no
seats, and the people are obliged to
stand during the services. The prayers
consist principally of applying eighty
five or ninety adjectives to God, thus:
"God is good, God is just, God is
almighty" and so on. These are re-
peated over and over again by the
priest and people, who rise and kneel
about once in three minutes. This
may continue as long as the priest sees
fit to have it, and the prayers are some
times two hours in duration, and the
people are obliged to remain through it
all. If the men are at considerable
distance from the mosque at the hours
appointed they take a large handker-
chief from their pocket and spread it
on the ground, and there kneel for
prayers. But according to the religion
of the Mohammedans the women are
not included in the benefit of the re-
ligion, as it is believed they have no
souls, and therefore are not compelled,
and never do, enter the mosque or
offer any prayers. The women are
most ignorant, and are unable to read
or write. They cannot converse with
men, and it is but seldom that they can
90 out of doors. They spend their time in
making fancy work and embroidering,
and in this they become most proficient.
No sermons are ever preached by the
priests, and their services consist en-
tirely in reading the Koran and pray
ing. The people are taught and be-
lieve that all people not Mohammedans
are doomed to eternal punishment,
and therefore will have nothing to do
with Christians or the inventions of
Christians. The gentleman who gave
the writer these facts says that the
word Koran is pronounced as though it
was spelled Kuran, and with the accent
an the first syllable. Mecca, the city
towards which every Mohammedan is
constantly turning, is pronounced as
though it was spelled Micca, with hard
c's and with the accent on the first
syllable. AS has been said, the women
in the Mohammedan countries are very
ignorant, but the men are little better,
and implicitly follow all that the priest
tells them. For this reason European
ideas and machines make but slow
progress in that country, but they are
making some progress, and the gentle
man who related the facts given to the
writer hopes that within a few years
these customs will find firm hold in
those countries where now Moham-
mechanism reigns supreme. - Boston
Traveller.